The Village of Fallen Rains

Felix peered up at the dragon. He was an interesting being. Felix didn't believe in sprites and dragons and fairies. This was some kind of an illusion. As the two argued over something Felix did not catch, he started to look towards the forest. "The blood trail. We can follow it. The wolf was fast, so we should go." He looked at Syndryl. "Do you know what's out there?" He asked. "You seem to know a lot." Felix wasn't being rude or sarcastic, just curious.

Syndryl looked at Felix when he mentioned that trail of blood, smiling at his question. "Not really. It's all just speculation on my part." He gave a pause. "And...I'm not from around here. I only say whatever it is wouldn't be a match for me because it's the truth. I don't even particularly know what lives around here," he said simply.

Serenity shook her head and pushed herself up. "Alright, then, we really should get a move on." At that, she looked for the trail of blood before opening the scroll and beginning to walk. But as she looked at it, her face became confused. It was just a bunch of scribbles! Underneath the scribbles laid a single riddle.

'The key to the map is the key to your mind,
Bending and turning and folding, that is it's design.'

Serenity's eye nearly twitched. What the hell was this!

(Nice riddle. )

Felix looked at Syndryl. He was so cool. Skipping along the trail a bit behind Serenity, he followed her into the thicker parts of the woods. When he saw her face he looked over her shoulder. "What does it say?" He asked. He wanted to know. Was it something dangerous and deadly, or something lame. Felix hoped it was dangerous and deadly. That way he could practice his skills as a ninja.

(Hehehe. He likes Syndryl.)

Serenity gave a light sigh when Felix asked what it said, then handed it to him. "It doesn't make any sense to me." Syndryl looked at the two curiously, and instead of going over to them, he asked "Just what does it say?" Serenity looked at him. "You can always read it over the kid's shoulder," she said. "Like I said, it doesn't make any sense."

Syndryl sighed through his nose, much like he would've in his dragon form. "I can't read it. It's flat. On paper. Not something I can sense." Serenity looked at him, a bit surprised. "I didn't know you couldn't read." At that, Syndryl looked thoroughly embarrassed. "I can read, just not anything off paper! Not with these eyes anyways," he protested, looking off to the side.

"Okay, okay, sorry," Serenity said, smiling a bit with a chuckle.

"Don't laugh at me," Syndryl replied hotly.

Felix looked at the scroll, and for Syndryl's sake, read it aloud. "'The key to the map is the key to your mind, Bending and turning and folding, that is it's design.'" Felix held the scroll up so that it was facing the sun, examining it. "I would say the key is your brain, but that's just way to simple. It probably something absurd like the imagination. I mean, the imagination is endless, right?" Felix shrugged and handed the scroll back to Serenity. "What exactly is this treasure supposed to be again."

Syndryl gave Felix a grateful look when the silver haired child read the scroll aloud. After it was read, he stayed silent until Serenity answered Felix's question. "A crystal of some sort. From what I've gathered on it, it's a medium to allow humans to glance into the past or future. So, my guess is it's actually a crystal ball," she told him, and no sooner than she had finished her last word, was it that Syndryl spoke.

"Is there anything on the scroll aside from the riddle?"

Serenity raised an eyebrow at him. "Not really. Just a bunch of scribbled lines above it." When Syndryl turned his head towards her, she replied to his gaze with a curt "What?"

Syndryl shook his head and walked over to Serenity, to which she looked at him suspiciously. When he suddenly put his hand on the back of her head, she nearly pulled away, but he held her in place. "Just allow me your sight for a few moments, since you insist on being nondescript." A moment later, Serenity blinked and looked blindly to the side in irritation as Syndryl took the scroll from her. "I've seen something like this before. It's...vaguely familiar," he said, tilting his head as he looked at it, his once dull and dark blue eyes now lively and fiery with spirit.

Felix curiously glanced between the two. When Snydryl went to Serenity, Felix blinked confused and then held back a gasp as he realized what had just happened. "You stole her eyes," Felix said accusingly. He wasn't being rude, just surprised. When Snydryl spoke of the scroll, Felix looked up at him. "Familiar? How so, what does it mean? Have you figured out the riddle?" His blue eyes curious. He leaned forward trying to see the scroll from a different angle like before. When his team went out on missions, they would use special paper that allowed them to write some words on the paper, but the more important words would have to be soaked in water and held up to the sun before the true intent could be revealed. Felix looked to the water and shuddered. He'd use his spit before he went near that lake again.

(Ew.)(Oh, and I love the new siggy! No more creepy monster... )

Syndryl looked at Felix. "Yes, I did. But only for a few moments," the dragon told the boy, as if it were no trouble at all. He nodded at Felix's question. "Give me a moment," he said, looking the scroll over, as Serenity stayed silent, her blind eyes narrowed in anger. How dare he just take her sight like that! And without warning!

With a light sigh, Syndryl stopped walking and kneeled down before sitting on his feet, a bit like he might do as a dragon. He held the paper to the light, tilting it this way and that before placing it on the ground curiously. "There was a key," he muttered. He tapped a finger on his leg, both his hands now resting on his knees. For a few moments he looked rather deep in thought, until he picked the paper up once more. He tried bending the scroll, and twisting it as far as it would go in a spiral. When he untwisted it, the corner of the scroll seemed to have split into two. Syndryl blinked and took the corner into his hand, carefully peeling it back, only to reveal that there was a hidden backside to the scroll. Upon looking at the back, he found that there were only more scribbles on it.

Serenity crossed her arms as she heard the paper being moved around. "Well? Find anything else?"

Syndryl pursed his lips a bit in confusion. "A hidden backside. But the only thing on it are more contorted lines," he told her.


(I wonder, can you guess the key to the riddle of the map? I'll give you a hint, Donkey does a similar thing to a contract in Shrek: Forever After.)

(Lol, thank you) (I've never completely watched Shrek: Forever After)

Felix frowned as Syndryl pulled the scroll to reveal a hidden backside. "This is stupid. I don't like riddles," he complained. The boy crossed his arms in annoyance. "Why can't the scroll just tell us what to do," he asked. "It was trouble enough trying to get it off that wolf. We both nearly drowned trying to get it." Felix sat on the ground and looked up at Syndryl and the scroll. "Maybe you should hold it against a mirror or something," he suggested. "I don't know, you're treasure hunter," he said to Serenity. "Aren't you suppose to know how to solve these things."

Serenity frowned when Felix asked why she couldn't solve it. "The member of my group that solved the riddles died a really long time ago. I'm not that great at things like this," she said bitterly. The mere memory of Jake and Liora was usually enough to put her in a bitter mood. She'd had to go and suggest the Pharaoh's treasure. It was her fault.

Syndryl rolled his eyes a bit. "Stop it. He was just asking a question." He took another moment to look at the marking, before he ripped the piece of the scroll that had the markings on it off from the rest of the scroll. His eyes scanned over it several times before he started folding the paper's corners, and matching lines to other lines on the paper. By the time he was done, all the lines had connected into what looked like a very rough map.

Felix looked at her curiously. A really long time ago? Felix didn't know
anybody that had died recently, or a long time ago. Not even his father being dead counted because he hadn't met him. Felix didn't have time to ask questions because Serenity sounded fairly bitter. The silver haired boy frowned. What was her problem? When the dragon took up for him, Felix was glad. When Syndryl ripped the scroll, Felix nearly gasped. Then he saw what the cunning dragon was up to. "A map," Felix breathe. "How'd you know?"

Serenity looked in the two's general direction when Felix gasped. "What? What happened?" she asked, almost excitedly. When Felix mentioned a map, her eyes widened a little. So Syndryl really was more helpful than just for being a bodyguard.

Syndryl looked at Felix at the boy's amazedness. "I said earlier, didn't I? I've encountered something similar before. The place I come from is full of strange riddles." He looked to Serenity. "I suppose you'd like to see the map then?" When Serenity raised an eyebrow at him, he nodded. "Understood." Walking over to her, he did the same thing as before, only less suddenly, putting his hand more gently to the back of her head. A moment later he blinked, and his eyes started fading back to a dull, dark blue. Serenity's sight slowly started fading in as Syndryl's started fading out, and she took the map and looked at it, inclining her head at Syndryl. "Thank you. This is...incredible. I'd never thought of matching the lines together." She looked at it. "But...this could be anywhere. Hey kid, does this look like any roads you might know?"

Felix watched the change in awe. Why did they have to change sight? When Serenity asked him about the map, he was reluctant to answer because only moments ago she had been really mean to him. He looked to Syndryl and then back to Serenity and her dumb map. "Yeah, I know that road. It's Kokuboro's Pass. But no one goes there. A few years back a bunch of our ninja went along that path after a girl went missing. They never came back. A second team was sent in, and only one person came back. They spoke of something called 'The Madness.'" Felix paused. "The guy said that everyone turned on each other. He died shortly after because of his wounds. Like the Lake, no one is to walk that path."

Felix looked closely at the map. "This one right here," Felix said pointing at a slim road. "This is Haley's Cavern. It's a path that leads to an underground cave. No light shines down there. Chakra gets cut off, and if you're not careful, maybe your limb." Felix leaned back on his heels. "Most of the genin dare each other to make it to the other side. It's like an initiation to becoming a full ninja." Felix shrugged. "Those are the only ones that sound like a challenge for finding your treasure, that I know of. The others are simple roads for trade and stuff." Felix blinked his blue eyes. "I can take you on either one you want," he said.

Serenity looked to Felix as he spoke of a pass that no one had ever entered and came back from. Except..one ninja. A ninja. Serenity was no warrior. Her shoulders nearly slumped. She looked at the map. There wasn't really a destination marker. She held it up to the sun. Where the pages all intersected was the only dark shadow. She inspected the cross. It was at the end of the road that Felix had pointed out to be Kokuboro's Pass. She frowned. "The only cross on the map is at the end of the Pass," she said. "Are you sure you'd be prepared to take us to something like that?" She seemed mildly concerned. Ninja or not, he was only a kid. Syndryl on the other hand, stayed silent. He was sure no matter where they went wouldn't be much trouble to him.

Something told Felix that would be the route they were going. Of course it would have to be the route of Madness. Felix swallowed at the thought of turning on his own comrades. One survivor, and he had died. Felix looked at Serenity when she asked if he was prepared for something like this. "Yeah," he said. "I asked to come, I'm not turning back now." His blue eyes shinned brightly. "Besides, what do I look like backing off now. You guys need a guide anyway." Felix looked between the two. "But if you don't mind, I would like to go home and get supplies. And you might want to stock up in the village."

Serenity almost shook her head as he asked what would it look like if he backed down now. He was so much like Jake that it was almost scary. "Yeah, I think it's a good idea to stock up before we go. Who knows what could happen," she agreed with a nod. When Syndryl frowned, she looked at him. "What?"

"I'll wait outside the village."

"Huh? Why?" Serenity asked, clearly confused.

"I dislike being around large quantities of people at once."

Serenity could only blink. In his human form, she forgot that he was a dragon. Sometimes. "I...okay then," she said, shrugging. "Lead the way," she said to Felix.

Felix smirked. "It's not like the main villages," Felix said. "In fact, there's no more than a hundred people in my village. We're pretty small, which makes life so much easier." Felix smiled. He loved the peace of his village. "Anyway, if you want to stay outside the village, then fine. There's a small clearing on the other side if you wish to fly over there. It's close to the path, so we can just meet you there. Do you want anything?" Felix asked. His blue eyes unblinking.

Syndryl looked to Felix when he described his village, then ended up saying there was a clearing across from the gates. "Not particularly," he responded to Felix's question. "I'll be waiting for you," he said as he started off in the direction Felix indicated. He didn't find it wise to return to his normal form in broad daylight, but there was no one around. In fact, while he was waiting, he might've payed a visit to that water spirit Felix was so keen on staying away from. He was curious. Turning into a dragon, Syndryl lowered himself to the ground before flapping his wings down once and pushing himself off the ground with his legs, causing him to shoot up in an instant. He really did love flying. He made sure to fly high enough where he would only be thought of as a bird, if he was seen at all. And that way, Felix and Serenity would not worry about which direction he was headed to.

Serenity watched Syndryl take off. She'd never seen him do it in such a way before. It was strange, yet somehow magnificent. She looked to Felix. "Let's go," she told him with a nod. "I'd think it would be smart to get there before sundown, but since it's already getting late, we'll have to make due with the daylight we have left," she said. "You should...probably warn your family and acquaintances that you will be leaving," she told him, looking to the side.

Felix watched Syndryl fly up into the sky. "I've never seen a dragon before," spoke the silver haired child. He then started towards his village. When Serenity spoke, he listened quietly. "That's why I'm going back," he told her. Felix knew there was a chance that this could be his last time seeing his mother and friends. The path he was about to walk would more than likely lead to something his mind could not tolerate, but it was a risk he was willing to take.We sleep when we're dead. Until then, you live life like there is no tomorrow. Never stop going forward. Never fear death. Upon entering the village, Felix looked at Serenity. "My house is near the back of the village, it's not hard to miss. It's the one filled with white roses. In case you need me." Felix then started towards his home.

Serenity walked with Felix until they came to the village, nodding when he said that his house was one with white roses in the front. "Okay," she said with a nod. When he started towards his house, Serenity started down a side street, one that looked like it was lined with shops. She wanted to find the blacksmith. Wanted knives, just in case, and maybe even to get her dagger sharpened.

Syndryl flew back towards the lake, when the two were out of sight. He circled around the edge until he was close enough to the ground to land. When his claws hit the ground, he walked close to the edge of the water, but didn't touch it. Instead, he laid in front of it, his front legs crossed and his head laying onto them as he stared into the water. He didn't know what he wanted to find out about it really. He was just curious. Maybe to see if the spirit would attack him if he seemed harmless. Then again, he had spit a fireball at it after it had tried to drag him under. He really had to watch his temper.

(Lol, Syndryl is too cool.)

Felix opened the door to find his mother cooking dinner. "Hey mom," Felix said as he started to his room. The brown haired woman smiled with care. "You've been gone all day. Do you have any adventures to tell," she asked. Felix smirked. Oh did he. "Not really. I just met some lady that's a treasure hunter. She wants me to be her guide through the forest, so I'll be leaving for a few days," he said with a nod. His mother turned and raised a brow. "Really now?" Felix nodded. "Yeps. It's going to be a real adventure. She might share the treasure with me." Felix had never lied to his mother, and didn't plan on starting now. He was simply just leaving out a few major details. Knowing her son was a ninja and that he could take care of himself, Felix's mother let the boy go without much hassle. She was used to him running off by now. "Love you mom," Felix said as he was leaving out the door. He suddenly stopped and went and hugged her. He didn't want to eave without showing how much he loved her. She was his one and only mom. The best mom in the world.

The water rippled lightly when the dragon laid next to it. The same arms that dragged Felix down earlier that day rose from the still water and then formed into a watery figure. "What is it that you seek, dragon." The voice was that of a man, but it was hard to distinguish, for it sounded as if he were speaking through the water.

Upon entering a shop, she found it to be one that sold food. She took a few moments to look around and collect some food items, enough for the trip certainly. Bringing it up to the owner, Serenity took out a bag which contained more than just a few gold coins, taking two out and handing them to the owner. "Would this be enough?" she asked. While she was sure one gold coin would have more than sufficed, Serenity was usually fairly generous when buying things from family stores.

Syndryl lifted his head when the water began to ripple. He felt, rather than saw, the water form. Energy was how he saw, not through his eyes. He felt the kinetic energy of the world around him. Almost like how a bat would use a sonar. It was significantly more difficult when he was in his human form though. "Information," he responded. "I wish to know...how you came to be," he said. He wanted to know how such a being could come to this world, the world of mortals and small creatures. As it was, Syndryl was far to prideful to apologize for the mishap earlier.

Felix started into the center of the village after leaving his home for what he hoped would not be the last time. Heading to the nearest weapon shop, he gathered some kunai and shuriken as well as paper bombs. He wondered what lay in that path. The guy had only spoke of people turning on one another, but what about monsters and things of the sort? And what happened to those that were the last standing after they had turned on everyone? The young boy shook his head and went outside. The sun was slowly setting. Felix didn't want to travel during the night, but it was whatever the lady wanted.

The water form swayed lightly with a small breeze. "I have always been," was the water spirits reply. "And I will never cease to be." The being was not often this forgiving of those who attacked it. The boy with the silver hair and blue eyes had disturbed it's domain, and this dragon had attempted to destroy it. But the dragon was a creature of nature, and the spirit was a accepting of all things nature.

After buying the food, Serenity packed it into her bag, and headed towards the weapons shop, which, as it turned out, was only right down the road. She would not allow herself to be caught unprepared. It was unnecessary and uncalled for.

Syndryl tilted it's head at the spirit's response. It was fair enough. Syndryl himself didn't remember how he came into being. "What do you know of Kokuboro's Pass, spirit?" he asked.

Felix was slowly going through a check list. He didn't know what lay on that path, so he wanted to make sure he was well prepared. Expect the unexpected was what his sensei always told him. Walking with his bag on his shoulder, he glanced at Serenity as he passed her. "Hey," he said as he kept walking. He had no reason to stop and chat. After all, she had her things to get and he had his. Like going to the medicine shop and picking up some antidotes for various poisons. Yeah, the lady was a healer, but that didn't mean she knew everything.

The spirit was silent for a very long time. It was contemplating on what it should reveal to this dragon that seeked information. "Kokoboro's Pass is the road to Madness. And Madness can not be contained. It will be the downfall of this village." The spirit begin to reshape in a blob, but it continued to speak. "Humans cannot walk the path of Madness without losing themselves in the darkness of the mind." Again the spirit reshaped back to its original form of a person. "Is that the answer you seek?"